SPECIMEN COLLECTION & HANDLING *Ascend reserves the right to modify the test date for Hepatitis C and Aluminum testing. Labeling Instructions Preparation, Collection & Processing Instructions Order of Draw Heparin Effect Centrifuge Technique General Testing Royal Blue Top Tube - Trace Element NH (Use for Aluminum, Zinc, Other Trace Metals) Light Blue Top Tube (Sodium Citrate) – (Use for Prothrombin Time or PT) Red/Yellow Top Tube (with Gel - Clot Activator) Green Top Tube – (Use for Routine Chemistry, Ferritin, Hepatitis, PTH, HIV, Vitamin D) Lavender Top Tube (K2EDTA) – (Use For Hematology, Hemoglobin A₁c, Fluid Cell Count) White Top Tube - (KRU, Creatinine Clearance, PDA, PET) Gold/White Top Tube (Lithium Heparin) - (Post Dialysis Testing) Special Testing Coagulation Draw Volume Guide Occult Blood PD (Peritoneal Dialysis) PD Fluid Cell Count PD Peritonitis Collection Method PD Timed Urine & PD Fluid Collection Method PET Standard (Peritoneal Equilibrium Test) Post Dialysis Sampling (Gold/White Tube Top) Recirculation Study Urine Specimens Instructions for Urine Collection Microbiology General Guidelines Use of Culture Swabs Blood Culture Exit Site Culture Effluent Culture & Gram Stain Throat Culture Stool Specimen For Culture, VRE, Ova & Parasites, Clostridium Difficile Toxin A & B Urine Culture MRSA Screen Routine Culture Microbiology Collection & Temperature Summary